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Sometime during 1989 Robert Plant joined The Stray Cats onstage for their encore at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. The unsolved mystery is: ON WHICH EXACT DATE WAS THIS CONCERT HELD? WHAT SONG OR SONGS DID ROBERT PLANT PERFORM WITH THEM?

Edited January 2, 2008 by SteveAJones

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In 1990 rock promoter Barley Arts circulated a promotional flyer for a five-date Robert Plant Italian tour which was cancelled in early November 1990, presumably because he elected to continue touring the USA thru Nov 26th. I have the dates and cities confirmed but the unsolved mystery is

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This thread doesn't appear to contain any "mysteries", just things you want researched and are looking for other people to answer for you. Are you writing a book?

I know the answer to this one, I was there. It was a fun gig. Charlie Jones and Carmen were there too, and John McEnroe, Lemmy & Britt Ekland.

If I can find my ticket I'll try to help you - the memory doesn't serve me too well on exact dates.

I also have tape of that Diana and Charles function when it was reported on the news - somewhere in my collection. If I ever track it down I'll Pm you but don't hold your breath - I have NO organisation to my collection whatsoever.

Knebby,

Many thanks for the information! In lieu of the ticket stub you've still provided me some

additional leads by sharing the names of others who were there and may recall it or

said something along the way in the UK press. It's good to hear there may be a newsclip from the royal reception that could shed more light on that event. In the mid-80s Jimmy kept two photos displayed side by side in his living room; one of him with Prince Charles and the the other of him with Lady Diana. If I had to guess I'd say they were taken at

that reception for British rockers but I'm seeking to confirm it.

I am not writing a book at the moment, though many have encouraged me to do so.

In this digital age a book may not be the best way to share Led Zeppelin's legacy. Sam has launched this incredible website, for example, but clearly could have done a book as well. So, in closing, I'd say that right now I'm still just on a quest for more knowledge. If I ever do get books together I'd hope to emulate Peter Guralnick's 'Elvis Last Train to Memphis' or Bill Wyman's 'Rolling With The Stones'.

I suppose there are those who view this as mere trivia, and I won't argue the point,

but this thread is just getting started. Who knows what mysteries are to come. I'm

hoping others will post their unsolved Zeppelin mysteries in this thread too.

Yours Sincerely,

Steve A. Jones

Edited November 23, 2007 by SteveAJones

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In 1978 the City of Kidderminster's Fire Station dispatched firefighters to the home of Robert Plant to extinguish a chimney fire. Robert later stopped by the fire station for a cigarette and a cup of tea and signed several Led Zeppelin albums for the fire fighters. I'm seeking any additional information.

Edited November 23, 2007 by SteveAJones

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In late February/early March 1990 Robert Plant and his band began rehearsing for their upcoming European tour in Salcombe, England as this was not far from keyboardist Phil Johnstone's expectant wife. The local council ordered a March 1990 warm-up gig at Cliff Trust Assembly Hall cancelled after they were led to believe it would feature a reformed Led Zeppelin.

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Years ago, I was once told that the band was to play at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, CA but the show was canceled when Bonham passed away. True?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Swan Song announced plans for a 33 date US tour on July 7th 1975; it would have included a performance at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Sat, Sept. 6th. However, as a consequence of Robert Plant's car crash on Aug 4th their rehearsals (to have taken place in France from Aug 10-20) were cancelled while all touring was postponed (and ultimately cancelled).

These dates were announced for the ill-fated first leg of the 1980 North American tour:

Sorry, it's 3am here and my brain is getting fuzzy. This is what I meant to pass along concerning where Jimmy got the concept for the HOTH album cover. I have his specific comments confirming this as a matter of fact from a 1970's era interview I recently had transferred to cdr from the original audiotape.

------------------------------

The Midwich Cuckoos

"If you were wishful to challenge the supremacy of a society that was

fairly stable, and quite well weaponed, what would you do? Would you meet

it on its' own terms by launching a probably costly, and certainly

destructive, assault? Or, if time were no great importance, would you

prefer to employ a version of a more subtle tactic? Would you, in fact,

try somehow to introduce a fifth column, to attack it from within?"

First published in 1957, The Midwich Cuckoos was a return to familiar

territory for John Wyndham after the more fantasy-themed Chrysalids. In

many ways this is the archetypal Wyndham novel, containing all his

classic themes and techniques, written in the classic style. It is also

quite possibly his best-known work, with the possible exception of The

Day of the Triffids. This is mainly due to the well-known film

adaptation, Village of the Damned(196X), which led to a sequel, Children

of the Damned, and a 1995 remake.

Synopsis

The quiet Winshire village of Midwich is disturbed for the first time in

decades when, late one night, the entire population lapses into an

inexplicable trance-like sleep. The army quickly cordons off the area and

establishes that the effect influences a dome-shaped space - centred on a

strange metallic object that has appeared at the centre of the village.

Nearly thirty-six hours later, the sleep-induction field vanishes, along

with the object. Apart from a few residents who have died in accidents or

of exposure, the villagers seem unaffected. But Colonel Westcott, an

officer in military intelligence, recruits Richard Gayford, a newcomer to

the village, to monitor the situation. Sure enough, some weeks later a

remarkable fact becomes apparent - all the women in Midwich of

child-bearing age present during the phenomenon are pregnant - over sixty

in all.

Panic is narrowly avoided, but local eminence Gordon Zellaby is well

aware of the full implications - the women have been implanted by some

other intelligence present during the 'Dayout'. When the babies are

eventually born, however, they seem wholly human, but for their golden

eyes and hair. As time goes by, though, odd events occur - it seems the

Children can exert a compulsive influence over those around them and are

even capable of forcing self-harm. Zellaby also discovers the Children

possess a strange linked intelligence - anything taught to one of the

boys is instantly known by all of them, and the same applies to the

girls.

The story moves forward seven years. The Children are now nine, but

physically resemble adolescents. A local man has been killed in a road

accident. The verdict is one of misadventure, but Zellaby and others know

better - the dead man accidentally injured a Child and was compelled to

kill himself by the others - a deliberate act of murder, but beyond the

cognisance of the law. The dead man's brother attacks the Children with a

shotgun but again is forced to commit 'suicide'.

Events escalate and an angry mob marches on the special school the

Children attend. The Children make the villagers attack each other and

several deaths ensue. Shortly afterwards they impose a restriction zone

around Midwich - outsiders are allowed through, but not villagers, thus

creating a human shield against any attack on them.

Westcott reveals that Midwich was not the only, or even first place to

have a Dayout. In several places the Children were stillborn or killed,

but a Soviet group survived and were raised in secrecy - hence military

intelligence's interest in the Midwich colony. A few days ago, the

Russians grew alarmed by their Children's burgeoning power and

obliterated the whole town without warning, and have urged the other

nations of the world to do the same with any other Children that may

exist.

The Midwich Children demand transport out of the village to a place where

they may mature in peace. Clearly, if allowed to survive, they will

replace normal civilisation - but the morality of that very civilisation

refuses to contemplate the necessary extermination of children, even ones

as potentially lethal as these are. The Children seem in the ascendant

until Zellaby - who, it is revealed, is already terminally ill - destroys

himself, them, and their school with a bomb. His last letter is warning

that, in order to survive, one must be prepared to take whatever measures

are required...

"This is not a civilised matter... it is a very primitive matter. If

we exist, we shall dominate you - that is clear and inevitable. Will you

agree to be superceded, and start on your way to extinction without a

struggle?"

From: "Chris Hofgren"

To: Steve A. Jones

Subject: RE: Jimmy's Inspiration for HOTH Album Cover

Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:53:23 -0500

RE: The Midwich Cuckoos, I never read that book (although had read

Wyndham's 'Day Of The Triffids' as a schoolkid) but was aware that Village

of the Damned (1960) - which I haven't seen for many years - was based on it.

what were Page's transcripted comments from that audio interview? I have

the 1976 audio interview as bonus Disc 3 of a 1997 'BBC Sessions' CD

limited edition......there Jimmy talked a lot about the English school

system, society generally and detrimental influence on kids, shows he

would have been influenced by Wyndham-style gritty scifi stories of that

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I am proud to be able to say that I am friends with a person as fine and amazingly creative as Jimmy Page. Anyway I was living with Faces bassist Ronnie Lane as his butler and personal assistant in early 1985.

Jimmy came through Houston with his new band The Firm, and Ronnie and I went to the concert with our new friend Mark Bowman, including one of Jimmy and I together. Jimmy had 4 seats reserved for us on the stage behind a bank of speakers, so we watched his entire performance from about 10 feet away. Yes, I took a camera. He sought out Ronnie backstage and suggested he come visit the following night at our apartment, which he did.

My first words to him were, "Good evening Mr. Page, please come in, Mr. Lane is expecting you. My name is James." He snorted and said, "Yeh, mine too..." This began

a friendship which has lasted over 20 years. We spent several hours together that evening, during which I spent most of the time listening to the two of them visit while occasionally injecting something pointless with a sporty posh accent. When I finally cracked him up, he spewed his drink and exclaimed to Ronnie, "Where'd ya get HIM?!?" Ronnie just grinned and said, "He's my butler. Ain't he great?" This was on or about March 21, 1985.

I will have many stories about Pagey but you must remember his privacy must be honored at all times, so don't expect any great revelations here. He is absolutely genius-level smart in fields other than music, and funny beyond belief, qualities which may not be readily apparent in his public life, so it's been wonderful to enjoy those aspects of his personality. He's no angel but he's known a few and settled on one.

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I don't think this is a mystery but I'd like to know anyway. What is the date of their first rehersal?

Monday, August 12th 1968 at 39 Gerrard Street in London. That part of London is known nowadays as China Town but back then it was a low-rent area where performing artists and musicians could often be found rehearsing and practicing. It's just down the road from Peter Grant's former office on Oxford Street so he was undoubtedly familiar with it.